To contribute to the discussion about the climate change section of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, post your thoughts below. If you want the U.S. and Canadian governments to consider your input, send it to the official website.

Currently, the GLWQA does not address the impacts of climate change. During the GLWQA Review period, there was general agreement that the GLWQA should be revised to specifically address pressing threats to the Great Lakes, including the impacts of climate change. Recommendations included the need to understand and predict future climate changes in the Great Lakes system, including an assessment of potential impacts and vulnerabilities. It was also recommended that climate change impacts information be provided to support informed environmental decision-making.

1. Climate Change Models

Consideration is being given to binational cooperation to ensure increased understanding of climate change impacts on the Great Lakes, including commitments to:

* Develop or enhance climate models to better predict changes in regional climate.

* Develop or enhance models to predict the impacts of changes in climate on the chemical, physical and biological processes of the Great Lakes.

* Enhanced monitoring to validate model predictions.

2. Integrating Climate Change Impacts into the GLWQA

Consideration is being given to ways in which existing or future GLWQA programs and measures can take climate change impacts into account.

* Include a statement of principle that climate change impacts should be taken into account.

* Include language in each appropriate Article or Annex to guide the incorporation of climate change impacts into GLWQA programs and measures.

* Include a separate section of the Agreement to provide a strategic direction on climate change impacts on Great Lakes water quality.

3. Enabling Other Levels of Government and Non-Governmental Parties

Consideration is being given to means by which the GLWQA might enable other levels of government and non-governmental parties to address the impacts of climate change on Great Lakes water quality.

* Communicate modeling outputs and provide other information and tools to other levels of government and non-governmental parties to help them address climate change impacts.

* Provide other levels of governments opportunities to help guide modeling efforts.